


Outcome

by thescienceofshipping



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Ending, M/M, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Possessive Gellert Grindelwald, Reunions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-21 15:01:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17045879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thescienceofshipping/pseuds/thescienceofshipping
Summary: A different outcome of the Paris rally.





	1. Chapter 1

Albus Dumbledore took one last look at Hogwarts before leaving. He knew that he wouldn’t see it again. And if he did so happen to then the perspective would never be the same. He sighed and hurried from the school, disapparating as soon as he was off its grounds.

He had a war to prevent.

* * *

 

“There are aurors amongst us tonight,” Grindelwald intoned. There were gasps as people looked around, desperately searching their neighbours faces for one that did not belong.

What happened next was quick. The aurors advanced. The woman died. All that was left was a handful of people who were suddenly dodging blue flames. But then everything changed in a heartbeat, and instead of someone apparating out of the stadium someone was apparating in. It took a moment for anyone to notice but when they did his name was on their lips.

“Dumbledore,” Theseus muttered in shock.

“Professor,” his brother said in surprise.

And so Albus Dumbledore stood. His jaw was set and his hands open. He was not brandishing a wand.

Grindelwald didn’t seem to know what was happening at first. But when it came to him the fires died down so that all that was left was the protective circle. This couldn’t be happening. This wasn’t going according to plan. But all thoughts of plans were pushed out of his head when he heard the man speak.

“Gellert,” Dumbledore said to the man for the first time in over thirty years. “It’s been too long.”

Grindelwald was silent for a long moment, face displaying a mix of emotions. Finally he replied. “And whose fault is that, darling?”

Darling? The thought was on everyone’s mind at once. Theseus was the first to put it together. “Closer than brothers,” he murmured. That was one way to put it.

“We didn’t part in the best of circumstances,” Dumbledore said, now advancing down the stairs. “A fact I need not remind you of.”

Grindelwald had the good sense to look ashamed. It was a shock to see. “I’ve apologized.”

Dumbledore chuckled ever so softly. “Love potions brewed into chocolates. Howlers screaming your love. Not the most suitable apologies.”

“I had limited resources,” Grindelwald dismissed.

“You would never have agreed to meet with me. You made that quite clear.”

“Well, I’m here now.” Dumbledore stopped just before the flames. The two men stared at each other through the dancing blue.

It was Jacob who asked the question that everyone was thinking. “What the hell is going on?”

Dumbledore turned to him and Grindelwald looked enraged to have the man’s attention on anyone but him. “Gellert and I have a long history together.” Dumbledore turned back to Grindelwald. “Release them, Gellert. This is between you and I. You don’t need the boy and you don’t need to kill anyone else.”

Grindelwald tapped his wand. “And why is that?”

Dumbledore didn’t blink as he responded. “Because if you let them go then I will leave this place with you.”

“Professor, no!” Newt scrambled for his wand, desperate to do something.

Grindelwald didn’t need to use his wand as he cast a silencing charm on Newt.

“Quiet boy,” he snapped. “The adults are speaking.”

Dumbledore rolled his eyes. He had suspected it, of course, but now he had proof. “Jealous of my former student, Gellert?”

Grindelwald strolled closer to Dumbledore and the edge of the flamed circle. “Yes,” he admitted freely. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t be.”

“Because if I were to approach you right now the flames wouldn’t burn me.” It was easy to see that the flames were a sort of loyalty test. And while Dumbledore was no longer committed to ‘the greater good’ as it were, he was still devoted to the man who spouted the ideal.

Grindelwald was cautious. He had reason to be. “And what then, Albus?”

“That I would like to discuss alone. But know that if I cross the flame then I will go with you,” Dumbledore said. “If you leave these young people unharmed.”

Grindelwald considered for a long moment. But then if Dumbledore was lying then the flames would take him, solving his problem in another way. There was one way to find out.

He reached out his hand. There were gasps as Dumbledore crossed into the circle with ease, fine suit not being marred by the flames. He took Grindelwald’s hand. “I’ve held up my end of the deal. Now hold up yours.”

Grindelwald pressed a kiss to Dumbledore’s hand. “As you say, my love.”

And with that, they were gone.


	2. Chapter 2

They were in Nurmengard Castle. Of course they were. Grindelwald had always been one for the dramatics. Having a literal castle as his lair suited him. 

Dumbledore was mildly impressed with how far Grindelwald had apparated. Not that he couldn’t have done the same move with ease.

The two men were silent as they stared at each other. That was until they were so rudely interrupted by a young woman, one of Grindelwald’s closest followers.

She had cast a spell on Dumbledore before she had even realized it. “Crucio,” she yelled, wanting nothing more than to disarm the man who was so near her leader.

Grindelwald was furious. “Stop,” he screamed. He shot the wand out of her hand. If it was anyone else they would be. He cast the cruciatous on her, shaking in anger as he watched her scream.

“Gellert,” Dumbledore rasped, finally able to stand up. “That’s enough.” He put a hand on his arm and with that the dark wizard ceased his spell. “Let her go.”

Vinda gasped on the floor when the spell ended. “Go,” Grindelwald barked at her. She stumbled out.

Dumbledore sat down heavily into a nearby chair. Even for a wizard of his caliber the cruciatous did not hurt less. Gellert quickly pulled up a chair inches apart so that he could check Dumbledore over.

“I’ll kill her for that,” he swore. “I should have killed her already. I’m sorry, Albus.” He seemed genuinely apologetic. 

“No more killing, Gellert.” Dumbledore met his eyes. “That’s why I’m here.”

For a moment Grindelwald looked confused and then hurt. “And here I thought it was because you’ve come to reconcile,” he said.

“That too,” Dumbledore admitted. Grindelwald perked up at that.   
Dumbledore sighed heavily and settled back in his chair. “I think that I’d quite like a cup of tea.” Grindelwald quickly barked orders at a house elf who came with the tea soon enough. Dumbledore took a long sip and smiled. “You remembered how I take it.”

Grindelwald rolled his eyes. “Of course I do. You’re the only one I’ve ever met who has more sugar than tea in their cup. It can’t be healthy.”

“Worried about my health, are we,” Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. 

“I always worry about you, Albus,” Grindelwald confessed.

Dumbledore set his tea down onto a saucer. “And here I thought that you were courting some poor boy to be my assassin.”

“Yes,” Grindelwald allowed. “But things were different then.” So much had changed in the last few hours. “Be honest with me. Why are you here? Why were you able to cross into the flame?”

Dumbledore took a long sip of his too-sweet tea. “Just yesterday I took a visit to the Mirror of Erestad. Do you remember when we used to speak about the mirror? The two of us promising each other that the only thing we saw was each other.” He smiled, remembering. “Truth be told, I haven’t looked in the mirror before. I was too afraid of what I would see. But yesterday after a visit from the Ministry I knew that I had to check.”

They would speak about the Ministry’s visit later. “And,” Grindelwald asked, impatiently. “What did you see?”

“You,” Dumbledore answered simply. “You as you are now. And beyond that the two of us when we were boys.” He fell silent for a long moment. “I thought that I might have seen Ariana. Possibly my family intact again. But no, Gellert, what I saw in the mirror that reveals our deepest desires was only you.”

Grindelwald was silent. He had thought of the mirror over the years. He always thought that he would see himself as ruler of muggles and wizards alike. But sometimes he imagined that Dumbledore would be there with him. And at other times he thought that he would see the man dead. Now he knew what it was that he truly desired. What he would see in the mirror if he were to look now. 

He would see what he wanted most. Dumbledore at his side and the world at their feet. 

“And that’s why you were able to cross the fire. Because you never stopped loving me,” Grindelwald said. Dumbledore nodded.

“I don’t care about the greater good or the cause. I’m not loyal to either. But I am loyal to you and the love we shared,” Dumbledore said.

“The love we share,” Grindelwald said, putting it into the present tense. He took Dumbledore’s hands. “I do love you, Albus. I never stopped.” Sure he had taken other lovers over the years but never again had he had a lover in the way that he had in that fateful summer.

Dumbledore squeezed Grindelwald’s hands. “And I love you. Despite how much I wished otherwise over the years.” He had stayed loyal. The blood pact that bound them together was like a marriage vow to Dumbledore. He had taken no other lovers. 

Grindelwald didn’t have the words to answer that. So instead he did what he had wished he could repeat for nearly thirty years. He leaned in and pressed soft lips to Dumbledore’s. 

The kiss was returned.


End file.
